Publication Date
Spring 4-16-2013
School
Helms School of Government
Major
Government: Pre-Law
Primary Subject Area
Philosophy; Law; Political Science, General
Keywords
State of Nature, State of Peace, State of War, State of Exception, State of Preservation, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, David Hume
Disciplines
Ethics and Political Philosophy | Political Theory
Recommended Citation
Stirparo, Zachary S., "The State of Nature X: Why Leave? A Preface on the State of Nature Theory" (2013). Senior Honors Theses. 332.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/332
Abstract
Great minds have addressed the issue of forming a polity, dating back to Plato. Yet, most of these great minds, such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, argue for the need to escape the state of nature into a civil form of government. However, after taking the three essential elements of man that these philosophers all comment on, self-preservation, reason, and will, a new state of nature model is created that is stronger. It is stronger because of its definition of man and the analytic inferences that flow from that definition. Therefore, the state of nature theory does not preclude man from living outside the bounds of government.
